Corolla FX GT Journey

20v or 2zz?

Been looking at 2zz engines lately and I wonder why am i not going into this technology yet? Maybe i dont have the spare funds to get one. And they are quite cheap nowadays. Almost 50% cheaper than 4age 20v halfcut. Yea 20v is not getting cheaper by the month. Its like gold price keep rising. 16v is still stucked at affordable prices.

2zz is originally from Celica, Fielder and RunX

Why 20v?

Low maintenance
OEM parts cheaper
Easy installation
Easy resell
Wide range of performance parts

Why 2zz?

VVTLi technology
VVTi controllable by ECU
190hp stock engine with standalone tuning
Still comes in way cheaper than 20v
Direct installation into Altis, Vios and Corolla

Im in a dilemma now. Should i get the 2zz for FX? But i need to sell off some of my stuffs to find this new engine. Lets see how that goes.

e420d vs Atom vs Mini

Currently im running Adaptronic E420d in the FX which im quite comfortable with but the processing speed is not as fast as Link Atom and MaxxEcu Mini. I have all three ECUs on hand and im not sure which to use with the new engine setup. Maybe i will go for Atom because of the faster processor and more Aux compared to Mini. Or i can sell off any one of the ECUs and get another Mini. We shall see.

Currently using this model. Been good since 2013.

Atom has served well in all my 20v engines and 5afe ITB powered.

Mini and the other models are very easy to tune and can run off-engine diagnosis. But Mini lacks of digital outputs.

Every standalone management has their pros and cons. Its just a matter of tuning to suit your engine perfectly.

31st March Update

I sold off Atom. And i have decided to run Maxxecu Mini on the FX.

The new engine setup

7a or 4a? Higher torque or responsive low end power? Cant have both. Its either one. So i decided to go with the 4a 1.6L setup for this round. Basically the setup would be like this ;

CNC ported blacktop head
Toda valve springs
Titanium retainers
Toda 288 cams
1.6L block
82mm CP Pistons
H beam rods
ARP studs all round

Still considering to change the transmission to 6 speed. Either i sacrifice short ratio 5-speed with 4.3FD with stock 6-speed with 4.5FD. My competitor has already bought a 5.1FD from me for his 6-speed transmission. That would be sick.

Also im considering OEM camshafts over Toda. Either i go with VVT for low end response or not. The track is small with mostly in 2nd gear and the last lap on high 3rd. The Toda cam is good but power comes late because there is no VVT support. I will reconsider again.

I have a brand new crankshaft lying around and it weighed at 11.57 kg. Im sending it to the machine shop and make knife edge style and balance it with the aftermarket flywheel. Lets see the new weight after the crankshaft is back.

Comparing the new crankshaft with factory. 11.57 vs 12.63 kg. Its gonna be one happy revving engine.

Sending off the pistons to check for any damages because they are bought used. Its better to be sure before installing

Rough surface on the piston caused by high ignition timing

Oil clearance specs for main and rod bearings. Also piston ring gap measurements.

The crankshaft finally arrived and looking good too. I have not checked the new weight but it sure feels lighter than before. This would definitely give better response to the engine.

Almost zero friction! Look at that.

Im quite happy with the outcome of the parts from the machine shop. Now im still waiting for a few more parts and we can start building.

Will be using 0.6mm metal head gasket to give the engine a little more compression for better horsepower and torque. My targeted horsepower is 180 and torque at 180nm. Lets see if that can be achieved by gasoline tuning.

Spraying the block with high temp silver. Not sure what color i have in mind after this.

Pistons and rods are checked and good to go.

Electric power steering pump (EPS) from a Volvo

I was thinking of switching the conventional power steering pump to the electric type. The reason is to release load from the engine by removing the belt thus gaining a liitle more horsepower. But this EPS is very heavy, at 5kg. So, sacrificing power for more weight? I was then advised by a friend that i can modify my steering rack to NOT use any pump while having power steering. Get it? We will come to that by then. Very interesting indeed. Thanks Mathan.

I will stop this chapter here. Will start a new chapter when I start building the engne. Just need to really focus on it.

March 2021

Haven’t been starting her for nearly 2 weeks and its kinda hard to get cranking. I was thinking maybe the battery was weak, so i jumped start and was all ok. But i have a feeling that the engine sounded abnormal. Maybe, maybe not. I took it for a spin and ok no problem there. At the same time i was getting ready some parts for the engine swap.

I bought a set of used CP pistons for the new build. Pistons not in the best condition due to high timing that was tuned before. The surface of the pistons was rough but its all good for my build.

One day, Ryan request permission to make some video content on his YouTube channel featuring FX. I was fine with it but I still felt the engine is not performing the way it should. But what the hell, if its gonna blow up, its about time. haha. Touchwood!

After 2 weeks, i washed her and waited for him to arrive. And so he came and drove it away. I hope he will have fun driving.

Before Ryan starts to review, he went back to his factory and check the her weight. To my amaze, she weighed at 970kg, which i always thought would be more that 1 tonne. Thats a good benchmark for me to get her next weight after I remove some things in the next build.

Then i got a call from Ryan saying yhe engine stalled and wont start. So i drove up and see whats happening. He said its seems like the battery is weak. I guessed so too. Lets see whats the problem.

Stopped at roadside while waiting for me to come rescue

When i arrived, i tried to jump start her. It was a few tries until it got started again. And the sound wasnt normal like how it used to be. Wet carbon vomiting out from the muffler. Thats weird. I told him to carry on and will be following behind in case it happens again.

After 15 minutes while Ryan was doing some full throttle revs, i saw some thick smoke from the muffler. So i drove over to his side and i heard a loud clicking sound. I immediately told him to stop at the side.

Upon checking, the water temp as described by Ryan went up to 120 degree celcius and this caused an overheating. I saw one of the stopper hose had gone missing and causing water leaks while he was driving. The stopper probably has been hardened by hot engine and water for the past few months. This is normal because its rubber. Silicone stopper for future use will not see this problem arise.

So we left her on the roadside and went back to my garage. The tow truck will bring her back in an hour. How did i feel? Normal for me. It was bound to happen, just a matter of when. Engines made for race will not last long. Thats why its best to check the engine after a race event to make sure everything still good to go.

Its not easy to see my favourite car not in good shape but thats what drives me to make it stronger and better. While the FX going down the tow truck, the bumper lips was damaged and a sharp object punctured the front Toyo R1R. Fortunately its a few years old and time to get a new set for the next event.

A few days passed and im free to pull out the engine. At the same time, will be pulling out the original engine harness and replace with a custom harness which will be shorter and tidier to look at.

Didnt take long for me to disassemble the whole engine and see whats the problem. The main and rod bearings are still in good condition, no signs of bad won off. But the pistons are not usable anymore.

Pistons skirts are all damaged, rubbing the block liners. This may be caused by high ignition timing and also excessive engine heat. OEM cast piston does not have long lifespan unless its used for factory engine. The edge of the pistons are starting to have melting look. Piston #3 has crack between rings. Oh well, gonna make them as ashtrays now.

The head has seen good days and now its RIP. Im sure the overheating issue came from the cracks in between the valves. This head is now unusable but i already have the CNC ported head replacement.

Lets not cry over this and move on to a stronger engine.

What’s under the hood?

Well FX GT originally came with 4age 16v bigport engine. And when i got her, the engine was not in the best condition. Not well taken care of. Black smoke from the exhaust. And a broken muffler. I tried to fix them but seems that a 20v is better off for this body.

So i took out the 16v and replace it with the 20v in 2019 to get ready for track event. At the time the main specs were:

Ported Silvertop head
4a 1.6L block
Toda 288 camshaft
Toda valve springs
Toda cam gears
CP 82mm pistons
H beam rods
6-speed transmission
Link Atom standalone ECU

Fred did the tuning and did quite ok on track and won podium position. But i want more, so i made plans for upgrade.

I also made some changes to the handling, by removing the front anti roll bar (as advised by someone) which supposed to improve the handling on small and narrow tracks. I haven’t find any issues on this yet because the handling is good for now.

I went to change the standard C160 1-way Helical LSD to C56 2-way TRD LSD transmission. That also comes with 2nd and 3rd short ratio gears which suits short distance racing line. This transmission did not go well with my 9age drag car due to weight and power.

By the end of 2019, the engine had white smokes coming from the breather. So engine was taken out for post mortem. The pistons broke and they cant be used anymore. So I scraped the whole engine and started to build a fresh engine for the upcoming event just a few months away

The new engine came with a 7a block which is a 1.8L displacement. Ported head as usual and this time running OEM Blacktop pistons. I cannot guarantee how long the pistons can stand the abuse of constant high revving for 5-6 minutes. I just have to give it a go. Apparently it went very well and secured first place.

A few track videos for your viewing pleasure

2019 Time Attack by Tan Yaw Ming

2020 Time Attack by Darrel Rengga

Wet lap in Kuching track by Tan Yaw Ming

Introducing the people involved.

Before i get in to March 2021, i would like to introduce some people who has been a part of the FX, be it tuners or drivers. You can subscribe to their YouTube for other contents too.

Tan Yaw Ming

What can i say about him? He is passionate is motorsports. He love racing. He put his heart and soul into racing. He is one of the many skillful Sarawak born drivers to participate in some international motorsports events in 2018 and 2019 alongside Kueh Kwang Ming. He was the driver for FX in 2019 and won podium in all 4 events. Also he had to test on wet track in Kuching stadium. Check out his YouTube on the FX and other cars he reviewed.

Subscribe to YouTube channel Tan Yaw Ming and Facebook Official page Tan Yaw Ming Official where he updates on local motorsports scene.

Darrel Rengga

He is very passionate in motorsports too, same TYM, and he has a bright motorsports future in front of him. Also from Kuching, Darrel is the driver for FX in 2020 which saw him clinching the champion spot. He is also expected to be piloting the FX in 2021 coming events. Darrel and Tan Yaw Ming are very good in Gymkhana, which where they got their good skills from, mostly. Darrel also have his own YouTube channel where he review cars. Do subscribe.

Subscribe to his YouTube channel Darrel Rengga and Facebook page Darrel Rengga Official.

Obi Wan

November 2019 had 2 events. MSF Solo Master was the first event in Bintulu. Had to drive up from the early morning. Obi was piloting FX and being as focused as usual, he managed to get 2nd Runner Up. Thats not too bad for a first timer handling an FX. Thanks for the driving tips as well my friend.

Colin Chew

2019 is definitely a busy year for motorsports and FX as an all rounder. Colin has many years of experience driving many types of cars and I trust him to handle the FX in a Drag event in Kuching, a week after MSF Solo Master. FX setup wasnt meant for drag competition but its for the fun and love of motorsports. We didn’t win anything due to messed up arrangements.

Yong Chin Sin

Young and upcoming local YouTube star giving a go at the FX and i think it impressed him, from the way he reacts throughout the driving experience. Check out his review here Yong Chin Sin Youtube Page and his Facebook Official Page

Eric Siew

This boy wonder is my Tuner for most of my cars from the drag car to the current track car. Sometimes he find time to fly over to Miri to tune but not anymore due to the pandemic. Last January when FX was in Kuching, he managed to dyno tuned the engine for track use. He does not have YouTube channel but can check out his work in Pro Dyno Facebook Page.

Nuttaphong @ Kob

All the way from Thailand, he came to Miri middle of 2019 to tune my drag car and at the same time tune the FX too. He is one of the famous tuner in Thailand for fast 1nz and 4a powered cars and im honoured to have him here in Miri. He wants to come back again after the pandemic is over.

Fred

Our very own local tuner. Eventho he only has one functional hand, the work he can do seems like he has 2 hands! Amazing he can achieve when he puts his mind and hard work in to his work. He does tuning, cam degreeing, engine works, remap, rechip and even drag with his MR2 SW20! He currently is my tuner for the FX. Oh yeah, he is an OCD type of tuner, so perfection is a must.

So there you go, list of people who had their hands on the FX and I’m grateful for that. There is still Youtuber Ryan’s Drives, but im gonna save this space for him in future.

February 2021

Getting some shots prior to the Lunar New Year.

The 7age 20v engine is not seeing her best health. But the new engine will be ready soon, powered by 4age 20v with some performance parts, to be updated.

New CNC ported head for the upcoming build. But still thinking which camshaft to use. Either OEM or Toda. Purpose to be used at a small track.

January 2021

Time for her to come back and not feeling healthy as well getting some overheating issues while on track. Expecting this to happen after some white smoke coming out from the exhaust when running some laps.

Back in Miri. Can wait to get back on track again. The next event will take place in May.

There was overheating issue so i decided to remove the head and send them for skimming and change a new head gasket. Hopefully this will settle the overheating issue.

To my shocking surprise, i found out that the Toda camshaft has worn off. Long story short, its very important to use the right engine oil. For older engine like this, recommended to use oil that contains zinc. This is to protect any metal-to-metal contact so they wont wear off. Also for stiff valve springs like im using Toda, always use oil with Zinc based. My heart was so painful to see this because i never had any problems using for the past 2 years. Only recently I changed another brand (which i wont reveal). I sent the camshaft for repair in hopes that it can be used again.

Head was installed and so far no signs of any overheating. All good. OEM camshaft is in use for now. Feels underpower but good for now.

Last day of the month, getting some shots with the elder brother.

A brief history

How i got my hands on her.

I liked this car for many years until in 2019 i met someone who would swap my car for this FX. The car had 10 owners previously and honestly its not in the best condition but im determined to make it look and feel better again. It came originally with 4age 16v bigport engine and manual transmission. The engine is not in the best of health as well, so i decided to replace a 20v engine.

Transformation begins

And then I decided to spray on Yellow and added in some bumper lips. Ceramic Pro treatment as seen in this picture. A little pampering given.

A year after that, a full livery added to spice up the look.

2019 was a good year. 4 podium positions in 4 Time Attack events. Driven by Tan Yaw Ming.

Due to Covid-19, there is only one event in 2020 and got first place with just one lap. Unfortunately the brake hose had burst with no braking. Darrel Rengga was the driver at the time.

By the end of 2020 without any events, i sent her to try on another track in Kuching. Had some tuning and tyre changed. It was a wet day and suprisingly handling was good. Driver at the time was Tan Yaw Ming. You can see his driving skill here Wet Lap Driving

And then 2020 comes to an end, which brings us to a new chapter.

The 2021 journey

After racing for 2 years in Time Attack events, the engine has seen alot of beating and abuse, and thats how its supposed to be when its built for race purpose. And now its time for another engine, specifically the 3rd engine. I like this car very much until i have decided to blog about it rather than posting in FB or IG. I wont be promoting this page widely rather than waiting for any random guests who will have the same interest as i have. I hope you enjoy what im doing here and can be some inspiration to some of you.